Woodland Cultural Centre puts the “evidence” on display in resurrected Mohawk Institute
By Carly McHugh Writer The numbers are staggering, the stories horrifying. They happened behind closed doors and beyond parents’ eyes. For 142 years over 15,000 children attended the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School on Six Nations lands adjacent to Brantford. Within its walls generations of children would suffer physical or sexual abuse and be subjected to back breaking labour all while never knowing if they would ever leave . The school closed in 1970, becoming a place where some survivors and their families would not even set foot. Until the Woodland Cultural Centre (WCC) began their ‘Save the Evidence campaign’ to turn it into a safe space to spread awareness about what really went on at Canada’s longest-running residential school. Last Tuesday on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth...
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford takes a stroll with Mississaugas of Credit First Nation through Hagersville
By Lynda Powless Editor The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with an unexpected event on September 30, 2025. They took a walk… with Ontario Premier Doug Ford through Hagersville. The Premier and Chief Claire Sault were joined by Greg Rickford Ontario Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and an estimated 150 community members and neighbours from surrounding areas as they walked through the town. The Hagersville walk was held in remembrance of those lost and in support of Survivors who continue to live with the impacts of the residential school system, MCFN communciations said. Chief Claire Sault spoke about her mother’s experiences with residential school and her own personal journey with healing. Ontario Premier Doug Ford talked...
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Six Nations health explores program transfer to local control
Six Nations is going to keep looking into and asking community members what they think of transferring the responsibility for health services from Indigenous Services Canada to the nation. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) passed a motion, at its General Council meeting on September 9. to support a community engagement plan to see what the community wants to do regarding community health services. The Well-Being Committee is exploring a potential health transfer from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to the community, with the decision resting on what community members want for the future of local health services. Director of the Well-Being Department, Debra Jonathan, explained that the Health Services Integrated Fund, provided by ISC since 2016, has supported the work of considering a possible transfer. “It depends on what the community...
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Former Six Nations Police officer facing breach of trust and obstruction charges
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER- The Hamilton Police Service has been called in to investigate the conduct of a former Six Nations Police officer who is facing Breach of Trust and Obstruction of Justice charges. Sergeant Raymond Johnson, a 14-year member of the Six Nations Police Force, was arrested and charged with Breach of Trust by Public Officer and Obstruction of Justice. Johnson was scheduled to appear in Ontario Court of Justice in Brantford Oct. 9, 2025. Johnson is no longer employed with the Six Nation Police Service. Six Nations Police said because charges are before the courts police will not provide details or comments to maintain the integrity of the court proceedings....
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Six Nations Councillor questioning tourism building costs
Six Nations new Tourism Welcome Centre has Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) members questioning costs. Councillor Dayle Bomberry told SNEC he has concerns over the new tourism centre’s budget and a lack of background on the project. Bomberry asked how the cost of the new Tourism Welcome Centre grew from roughly half a million dollars to more than $1.1 million. The issue came up at SNEC’s General Finance Committee meeting on October 6. During the adoption of meeting minutes from September 15, Bomberry raised concerns about the lack of clear budget information provided to council in earlier stages of the project’s approval. “When we originally approved that, I know there was a submission being made for funding of $300,000, and that’s all we had before us,” Bomberry said. “At that...
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Walk-through vigil honours community members lost to violence
By Carly McHugh Writer This Oct. 4, Six Nations stood together to remember 43 community members that were tragically lost as a result of violence. Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services and its Deyetiyenyadoha program held a walk-through vigil, in honour of the Native Women’s Association of Canada’s (NWAC’s) annual Sisters in Spirit initiative and the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples. Red clothing items hung throughout the white tent, creating stark contrast amongst the pictures and possessions left behind. However, the families of the lost wanted to spread a different message. They wanted to focus on remembering their light. “Sometimes, we don’t want to remember all the tragedy that happened, and the families want to keep it that way,” said Amber Silversmith,...
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Six Nations Firefighters bring on the heat at Second Annual Smoke Dance Competition
By Carly McHugh Writer It was about hot tips and even hotter dance moves, all in the name of fire safety. To kick off Fire Prevention Week, Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services (SNFES) held their annual Fire Prevention Open House on Oct. 4. This year’s theme, Charge into Fire Safety, focused on properly charging, maintaining and recycling lithium-ion batteries. “They’re in everything we recharge, and they’re prone to fire,” said Emma Varhaug, fire and life safety educator with SNFES. “We’re really trying to get the word out there to protect the community.” In lieu of demonstrations, this year’s open house featured a prevention tent, where firefighters gave the community crucial tips about lithium-ion battery safety. They also promoted their Community Connect system, a new tool to help gain important...
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Really…Haldimand out of line
Sometimes not everyone gets invited. Sometimes they are expected to take their own initiative and find out if there is an event. This past week, across the country everyone marked Orange Shirt Day, a day to remember what happened when Canada created the horror that became the residential school system in the country. Forcing thousands and generations of Indigenous children through the doors subjecting them to untold horrors and all in the name of killing the Indian in the child. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation comes every Sept. 30. Across the country First Nation communities plan events to mark and remember the children forced through those doors. And now they are joined by Canadians. Canadians who have taken the time to learn about what happened to Indigenous children....
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Today in History
Oct 3 In 2023, New Democratic Leader Wab Kinew led his party to government in Manitoba, becoming the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province. Oct 4 In 2023, the federal government said it was putting $740,000 toward further assessing the feasibility of searching a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree said more work needs to be done to figure out how a search can be undertaken. In 2023, a new Statistics Canada report said that between 2009 and 2021, Indigenous women and girls were killed at a rate six times higher than that of women and girls who were not Indigenous. It also said homicides of Indigenous women and girls are less likely to result in the most serious...
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Montour hoping to play in Kraken regular season opener
By Sam Laskaris Writer The Seattle Kraken will kick off its 2025-26 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season on Thursday with a home game versus the Anaheim Ducks. Though he missed all of Seattle’s training camp and pre-season contests, Six Nations member Brandon Montour is hoping he’ll be able to play in the Kraken opener. Just before Seattle’s training camp opened in mid-September it was announced that Montour, a 31-year-old defenceman would not be available for a few weeks as he had a bursa removed from his ankle. Montour is heading into his second season with the Kraken. He joined the Seattle squad mere days after helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in 2024. Montour, who was a free agent at the time, signed a seven-year contract, worth...
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Haudenosaunee Nationals teams compete at Super Sixes tournament in Oshawa
By Sam Laskaris Writer A preview of the lacrosse action that will be staged at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be held in Oshawa starting on Friday. The Haudenosaunee Nationals women’s and men’s squads will compete at the three-day World Lacrosse Super Sixes event. But it remains to be seen whether the Haudenosaunee clubs will also be allowed to participate in the Olympics three years from now. Since Indigenous people introduced the sport to the world, members of the Haudenosaunee squads believe they should be included at the LA Games. Their case is strengthened by the fact Haudenosaunee clubs traditionally fare extremely well at international competitions they participate in. But officials from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have yet to publicly announce whether the Haudenosaunee teams will be included...
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Ironmen drop road contest in Orangeville
By Sam Laskaris Writer It was not the preferred result. But Ryan Davis, the head coach of the Six Nations Ironmen, is not overly concerned his charges were downed 8-5 this past Friday by the host Orangeville Blitz. The Ironmen, who are in their first season competing in the Northern Premier Hockey League, had won their home opener a week earlier. But the match against the Blitz was their first road contest. Davis knew the Blitz would be a formidable opponent. “It was to be expected,” he said. “Orangeville on paper has a really good team. I wasn’t surprised. I made our team aware that they’re probably one of the top teams in the league. They’ve got 3-4 guys drafted to the National Hockey League. They’ve got 3-4 guys that...
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Smith’s plan threatens ‘fragile’ consensus over development of B.C. coast: Eby
By Wolfgang Depner Premier David Eby says a pipeline plan across northern B.C. by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith threatens community support and social licence that would allow other major projects along the provincial coast to move forward. Smith’s proposal for an oil pipeline to B.C.’s north coast would require Ottawa to scrap a tanker ban in the region, and Eby said Tuesday that such a move risks upsetting the current “fragile consensus” over resource development, one that he hopes to strengthen. If there is to be a conversation, Eby said, it should be about a “real project,” not one that hasn’t secured a proponent, funding or environmental assessment approval. When you apply that test, Eby said, Smith’s plan “fails on every count.” “The premier of B.C. is not a threat...
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Inuit-led solution aims to avoid killing of Marineland’s 30 belugas
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News A Nunavik man says Inuit leaders should step in to provide habitat to 30 beluga whales at Marineland that are at risk of being euthanized because the amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont. can’t afford to keep them. Jason Etok, who lives in Montreal but grew up in Kangiqsualujjuaq, suggested the whales can be reintegrated into the wild in areas such as the Hudson Bay, Ungava Bay or the St Lawrence River. “I believe they could survive if they were to be put into the wild with the assistance of trainers that could provide them with nourishments or maybe guidance,” Etok said in an interview Monday — as the clock ticked down on Marineland’s warning. The Niagara Falls amusement park asked...
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First Nation healthcare gets big expansion in local areas
By Sean Porter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Sault Star Indigenous members in Wawa and Chapleau are receiving upgraded and in-depth healthcare from the hospital to their homes. Maamwesying is expanding its Indigenous System Navigator (ISN) to Lady Dunn Health Centre and Services de santé Chapleau Health Services, providing support to members of the Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Brunswick House First Nation, and Michipicoten First Nation, according to a release. “Oftentimes, hospitals are not familiar with the resources available back in our First Nations communities, so our navigators are there to help bridge that information and link clients with the services needed,” said Edith Mercieca, director of home and community care to the Sault Star. The service is offered to patients who respond “yes” to the Voluntary...
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Ottawa shifts budgets to the fall as minister defends new fiscal focus
By Craig Lord Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on Monday unveiled major changes to how and when the Liberal government will introduce federal budgets in the future as the focus on Ottawa’s current fiscal path intensifies. Champagne announced the Liberal government plans to table the federal budget in the fall going forward, starting with the Nov. 4 spending plan — ending the long-standing practice of releasing the document in the spring. The typically shorter economic and fiscal updates will now come in the spring, closer to the start of the fiscal year on April 1. Questioned by reporters Monday, Champagne argued this shift will offer the “clarity” departments, businesses and policy-makers need to plan better for upcoming fiscal years. The finance department also offered insight into how the Liberals plan to...
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Hospital in southwestern Ontario unveils Indigenous health strategy
By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator A hospital near the most populous First Nation in Canada has debuted its first Indigenous health strategy. Around five per cent of Brantford’s population identified as Indigenous as of the 2021 census profile. But the Brantford General Hospital and Willett Urgent Care Centre in Paris — both overseen by Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) — also serve residents from the neighbouring Six Nations of the Grand River, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. “We want to ensure First Nations and Indigenous people feel safe when receiving health care at BCHS and stay connected to their culture, language, and traditions,” Michelle Bomberry said in a media release. Bomberry is the manager of BCHS’s Indigenous Health Services, which was introduced in...
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Gold demand puts Peru’s Amazon at greater risk from mercury poisoning, bishop warns
By Steven Grattan BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — As gold prices hover at record highs, a leading Catholic leader in Peru’s Amazon is urging countries that are destinations for the precious metal to help stem illegal mining that is poisoning rivers with mercury. Miguel Ángel Cadenas, an Augustinian from Spain who has lived in Peru’s Amazon for three decades, said illegal mining has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the Tigre, Nanay, Napo and Putumayo rivers as some areas where communities are at risk. Tests have found mercury levels in some fish above World Health Organization limits, and hair samples from local residents analyzed by scientists and doctors also showed elevated concentrations. “We are in a delicate situation,” Cadenas told The Associated Press. “Given that the Amazonian diet is rich in...
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New Indigenous ceramics gallery now a permanent feature of the Gardiner Museum
By Crystal St.Pierre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com The Gardiner Museum in Toronto will open its new 9,000 sq. ft. ground floor space on Nov. 6 following a $15.5 million transformation, described as a once-in-a-generation renovation. The museum is one of the world’s leading institutions devoted to ceramics. Located on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, and founded in 1984 by George and Helen Gardiner, it houses more than 5,000 ceramic objects, from the ancient Americas and Europe to the works of contemporary artists. It’s dedicated to “clay” serving as “a bridge between cultures, histories, and people.” The newly renovated space features the new Collection Galleries; a fully-equipped clay studio called the “Makerspace”, where visitors of all ages can experiment with the medium; a Community Learning Centre for education...
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Attempted child abduction puts Tla-o-qui-aht community on high alert
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Ty-Histanis, BC – Tla-o-qui-aht Chief Councillor Elmer Frank (Hyou-sin-up-shilth) is asking community members to be diligent about locking doors, especially at night, after a “scary situation” unfolded on Sept. 29 involving an attempted child abduction. That evening a seven-year-old boy was taken from his home and carried through Ty-Histanis and left at the basketball court in Esowista, reads a memorandum released by Tla-o-qui-aht on Sept. 30. Ty-Histanis and Esowista are Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations communities located about 15-minutes from downtown Tofino. The basketball court in Esowista is roughly 10-minutes walking distance from Ty-Histanis. The boy was returned home to his parents, unharmed, read the memorandum. “RCMP are investigating. There have been conflicting reports. We don’t think there is any further risk,” said Chief Frank....
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